Part I: Literature Circles Discussion Worksheet #2 (The Namesake, pp. 47-96) • List three questions regarding identity issue(s) that the characters in The Namesake encounter and share one thought-provoking question in your group discussion. Why Gogol’s family decide to go to Calcutta for 8 months? Is Ashima happy with her life now? Will Gogol see Kim again? • Choose one character and share an observation you have about his/her actions, words, thoughts, personality, issues, etc. These two chapters I have read, I found interesting the character of Gogol.
He has been growing up and changing his personality. He has always been a good student. In his childhood, Gogol is really attached with his parents and his sister. Also he is very shy. When he became a teenager, he liked to pass time with his three friends listening to rock music. He has never had a girlfriend; moreover he does not like to talk with girls. However, he got his first kiss in a party lying to the girl about his name and himself. Gogol used to like his pet name, but when he grew up he finds his name weird and difficult to pronounce.
His father told him that his pet and good name was selected because it is relative to Ashoke’s favorite author, Nikolai Gogol. He seems not to be interest in the origin of his name, until he read about the author in the school. • Draw some connections between The Namesake you are reading and what is going on in the world. Connect the readings to your own life, to something happening in your community or school. -The Namesake tells us a story that could be our own story.
Ashima and Ashoke are not different from most parents. They want to raise their children as good as they can. Also, as immigrants we try to keep and teach our culture to the next generation. -Most teenagers lie to their parents to go to parties, as Gogol did. • Locate a section of the book that you feel is interesting, powerful, funny, important, puzzling, attention-grabbing, etc. ¦ Page_____96______ Paragraph_________4________ ¦ Reasons for choosing the passage: Because is Gogol’s first kiss, I selected this paragraph.